Happy Valentine's Day!

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1John 4:9-11

So thankful on this day to have a Savior who loved me enough to pay the ultimate sacrifice for me. I am so blessed to have been given this great Salvation and the ability to live an abundant life by nothing I have done. By this we can then love others. What a great opportunity on this "day of love" to especially shower our loved ones with a little extra special attention. I of course believe every day should be full of showing others Christ's love, but Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to really pamper those we love most or reach out to those who need the love of God.

Some quotes from our evening "family worship" time (Valentine Edition):
"What is the thing you love most about our God?"
~Anna: "The pretty sky God gave us."
~Jake: "God created the world and He made us."
~Aly: "He makes us beautiful sunsets."
~Caleb: "He gives us second chances, His holiness and His forgiveness."

One of my favorite hymns seems so fitting to reflect on today:

The Love of God
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.